Adjustable athletic supporter



et.. 3, 1950 s. c. NELSON 295245527 ADJUSTABLE ATHLETIC sUPPoRTER Filed Aug. 10, 1948 Patented Oct. 3, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE ATHLETIC SUPPORTER Seddon C. Nelson, Wilmington, Del. Application August 10, 1948, Serial N o. 43,445

My invention relates to athletic supporters or jock straps of the type worn by athletes during exercise or the performance of athletic contests. Such supporters are well known, and, as a general rule, come in several sizes intended for general use. Obviously, the few available sizes make a perfect t of such supporters a comparatively rare occurrence.

With the foregoing in view, it is an object of my invention to provide an improved athletic supporter which is adjustable to permit a perfect it of the supporter on the user.

.A further object is to provide an improved athletic supporter which includes a waistband, a depending pouch, and means connecting the free end of the pounch to the waistband and wherein means are provided engageable with the free end of the pouch and movable upwardly therealong, whereby to vary the size of the pouch and, consequently, the fit of the supporter.

Other objects and advantages reside in the particular structure of the invention, combination and arrangement of the several parts thereof, and will be readily understood by those skilled in the art upon reference to the attached drawing in connection with the following specification, wherein the invention is shown, described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a plan view of an athletic supporter showing the invention applied thereo;

Figure 2 is a perspective View thereof;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale and taken substantially on the pl-ane of the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an elevational view of a detail;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the detail of Figure 4.

Referring specifically to the drawing, wherein like reference numerals have been used throughout the several views to designate like parts, IU designates generally any suitable and/or well known form of athletic supporter which includes a waistband II, a pouch i2 depending from a forward portion thereof, and any suitable means, such as a pair of leg straps I3, connecting the lower end of the pouch I2 to laterally-opposite sides of the waistband lI. As so far described, the supporter is conventional and forms no part of my invention.

In constructing the supporter according to the invention, the pouch I2 is preferably formed of loosely-woven or knitted material and is generally a textile fabric. The side free edges of the pouch, which are indicated at lli, are preferably oppositely inwardly directed toward each other 7 Claims. (Cl `12S-M159) so that at the lower end ofthe pouch the sides thereof are inwardly turned or rolled upon them-n selves through several lconvolutions as may best be seen in Figure 3. Thus, the extreme lower end of the pouch comprises a plurality of ver-` tically disposed layers or side portions when the same are secured together in face-to-face relation, as illustrated. Likewise, the free ends of the leg straps I3 are of reduced width, as at ll'I, and are vertically disposed and joined together in face-to-face relation, as indicated at I'5.

The free ends of straps I3 are secured to the lower end of pouch I2 in end-to-endrelation and the vertical disposition of the joined ends provides a comfortable non-chang arrangement. The device according to the invention for adf justing the size of the supporter comprises a closed ring or band member I6, which encircles the pouch I2 adjacent the lower end thereof, and which is adapted to be moved upwardly along the pouch thereby to constrict the lower portion and vary the size of the pouch as the device `is moved .j upwardly. For this purpose, in some cases it may be satisfactory and desirable to use an open ring` which only partially encircles the pouch I2, In practice, it is preferred that the member IB comprise a cylindrical band of resilient rubber-like material, whereby it will be substantially self-retaining when moved to an adjusted position. Likewise, by providing a band of rubber-like material, a structure is provided which is substantially non-corrosive and long-lasting in use. By inwardly-directing the side edges I4 of the pouch and by reason of the aforedescribed rolled condition of the pouch edges at the lower extremity thereof, the side edges are tended to be inwardly rolled upon themselves, as aforementioned, as the band I6 is moved upwardly, thereby to provide behind the band a constricted and relatively tightlyrolled section which will `be substantially nonchang in use.

While I have shown and described what is now thought to be a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of other forms and expressions. Consequently, I do not limit myself to the precise structure shown and described hereinabove except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

l. In an athletic supporter including a waistband, a pouch depending therefrom, and means connecting the lower end of said pouch to said band, the improvement comprising resilient means encircling said lower end of said pouch,

and said means being adjustable along said pouch thereby to vary the length thereof.

2. In an athletic supporter including a waistband, a pouch depending therefrom, and means connecting the lower end of said pouch to said band, the improvement comprising a resilient band of rubber-like material encircling said lower end of said pouch, and said band being adjustable along said pouch thereby to vary the length thereof. Y

3. In an athletic supporter including a waistband, a pouch depending therefrom, and means connecting the lower end of said pouch to said band, the improvement comprising va resilient band of rubber-like material encircling said lower end of said pouch, said band being adjustable along said pouch thereby to Vary the length thereof, and said pouch including opposite side edges inwardly turned toward each other and rolled upon themselves at the lower extremity of thefpouchandf adapted to be'oppositely inwardly rolled-asllsaidband is adjusted along said pouch. '4.' Inf-an'athletic supporter including a waistband, a'fpouch depending therefrom, and means connectingthelower 'endof said pouch to said band, the `improvement comprising means -encirclingsaidlower end of said pouch, said means being adjustable along said pouch thereby to vary the length thereof, and said pouch including inwardly turned opposite side edges inwardly rolled yupon themselves in a series of convolutions at-the lower extremity ofthe pouch and adapted to be-oppositelyfinwardly rolled assaid band is adjustedalongsaidpouch.

5-.I athletic supporter, comprising a waistband-,rfa pouch depending therefrom, a pair of leg straps depending from said waistband on opposite lsides lof said pouch, said straps including lower ends disposed lvertically and secured together in face-to-face relation, said pouch including-alower -end comprising inwardly rolled edges forminga plurality of side `portions disposed verticallyrin iace-to-face relation, means securing fsaid. lower ends-of said straps to said side portions Yin the `lower end of `said pouch in endto-end relation, and resilent means encircling said'lower endof the pouch.

6. An athletic supporter, comprising a waistband, a pouch depending therefrom, a pair of leg straps depending from said waistband on opposite sides of said pouch, said straps including lower ends of reduced width disposed vertically and secured together in facetoface relation, said `pouch including a lower end comprising inturned edges rolled upon themselves and forming a plurality of convolutions disposed vertically in face-to-face rel-ation, means securing said lower ends of said straps to said convolutions in the lower end of said pouch in end-to-end relation, and means encircling said lower end of the pouch.

7. `An athletic supporter, comprising a waistband, a pouch depending therefrom, a pair of leg straps depending from said waistband on oppositei'sides of said pouch, said straps incl-uding lower ends of reduced width disposed vertically and secured together in face-to-face relation, said pouch including a lower end comprising a plurality of inturned convolutions disposed -vertically and stitched together in -face-to-face relation, means securing said lower ends of said straps vto said convolutions in the lower end of said pouch in end-to-end relation, a resilient bandol rubber-like material encircling said-lower end-of said pouch, and saidband being adjustable along said pouch to vary the length of the same.

SEDDON C. NELSON.

REFERENCES CITED The yfollowing references are of record inthe ille of this patent:

UNITED `STATES PATENTS 

